What’s Booming RVA: ‘Dirty Dancing,’ Burning Beer, Black Art
Boomer’s top 5 picks for the week ahead
Experience the range of RVA, from Richmond Shakespeare’s “The Father” to Manual Cinema’s eerie “Frankenstein,” from African American art to “Dirty Dancing,” to bierstacheln. All in “What’s Booming RVA: ‘Dirty Dancing,’ Burning Beer, Black Art.”
“The Father: A Tragic Farce”
Pay-what-you-will Thursday, opening Friday. Jan. 30 to Feb. 16 at Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Theatre Gym, Richmond
Now 80, André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Antoine. Or was André an engineer, whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pajamas, and he can’t find his watch. Is he losing control? The play makes you question the truth and the nature of reality and see the cruelties of love and the limits of patience, how child-parent relationships become inverted. Presented by Richmond Shakespeare.
Black History Month Examines African American Art
“We Are the Builders: Honoring the Contributions of Black Workers in Virginia.” Highlighting the important role that Black people have played in the development of America, with emphasis on the contributions of Black Virginians. Through April 30 at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, Richmond.
From Invisibility to Political Activism: the Black Experience in American Art. African American artists have foregrounded in their work the social, political, and cultural successes of Black Americans and have offered vociferous critiques of violations of their civil rights and of systemic racism. This lecture analyzes works by African American artists as a means of resistance and political activism to dismantle racial prejudice and celebrate African American identities. FREE. Feb. 4, 7 to 9 p.m., at Twin Hickory Area Library, Glen Allen.
3 in 30 | The Sensory Experience of African Art. Karen Getty, educator for the African collection, shares the experiential power and multisensory dimensions of three objects in the African Art Galleries. Feb. 4, 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond.
“A Love Letter to Amaza Lee Meredith.” Amber Esseiva, Senior Curator at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU, discusses the making of “Dear Mazie,” an exhibition exploring the life and work of Amaza Lee Meredith, the first known Black queer woman to practice as an architect in the United States. Virtual option available. Feb. 4, 5:30, at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU, Richmond.
Two Art Exhibits Commemorating Black Labor and Black History Month. “It’s About the Hustle: Black Americans and Labor.” The juried exhibit explores stories of African Americans and their work in the U.S., from unfree labor that built the country to the 21st century. Also presenting an exhibit curated by the Black History Museum and Cultural Center, “From Sunup to Sundown – But the Work Never Stops. Exhibits through Feb. 22 at Artspace, Richmond.
“Dirty Dancing” in Concert
Feb. 4, 8 p.m., at Dominion Energy Center, Richmond
Bask in the classic film, digitally remastered, with a live band and singers performing the iconic songs. An after party with the band and singers will transport you back to the past. Because nobody puts Baby in a corner.
Bierstacheln
Feb. 1, 1 to 4 p.m., at Ardent Craft Ales, Richmond
The tradition of putting a heated metal poker or rod into a mug of beer has rich roots, including Germany and colonial America. Ardent provides the fire pit, rods, and beer, and customers enjoy the caramelized, toasty profile that results from the searing heat in the beer. Also known as beer spiking, beer sting, or beer poking.
Manual Cinema: “Frankenstein”
Ages 8+. Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m., at Alice Jepson Theatre, University of Richmond
The haunting performance uses shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, sound effects, and live music to portray the story and the theme – how family, community, and education shape personhood – or destroy it by their absence.
Check websites for more details, including prices and registration requirements.
More of What’s Booming in Richmond besides burning beer
More fun to fill your plate
FEATURE IMAGE, TOP: Alan Sader as Andrew in “The Father,” presented by Richmond Shakespeare.
